Compensating device.



W. H. BIDDLE.

COMPENSATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 1mm, I916.

Patnted Apr. 16, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

zzfmcm,

W. H. BIDDLE.

COMPENSATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-3111916.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WALTER HARRISON IBIDDLE, 0F EASTIBOURNE, ENGLAND.

GOMPENSATING- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

Application filed January 31, 1916. Serial No. 75,434.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, WALTER HARRISON BIDDLE,a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in Eastbourne, England,have invented a certain new and useful Compensating Device, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for automatically compensating theexpansion or contraction of wires, rods or the like arranged between tworelatively fixed points. It is, for instance, applicable forcompensating the expansion and contraction of railway signal wires orpoint rods due to variations of temperature, or for similarlycompensating comparatively small variations of length of wires, rods orother connecting means due to any cause. 7

It consists essentially in cutting or severing the wire, rod or otherconnecting means and attaching each of the cut or severed ends to one ofa pair of pivoted levers, one or both of which are weighted or otherwiseadapted to move with the end or ends of the connecting means as thelatter expands and contracts, and in providing an automaticallyadjustable link or connecting device between the levers adapted to causethem to move together at any position should a force be exerted upon theconnecting means.

The invention will be described as applied to the operating wires ofrailway signals. When applied to such wires, the apparatus may be placedat any position in the length of the wire, but is preferably placed moreor less in the center of the wire, for the reason hereinafter referredto.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example several methodsof carrying out the invention. Figure 1 is a view showing one method ofcarrying out the invention; Fig. 2 shows a modified arrangement; Fig. 3is a detail of same; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show further modifications.

Referring to Fig. 1 the apparatus comprises two levers A, which may bepivoted on the same, or as shown, on separate pivots B, and are providedwith weights C so arranged that the levers have a tendency to move awayfrom one another. The signal wire D is cut or severed at the place wherethe compensating apparatus is to be ar-' ranged, and the severed endsare attached to the extremities a of the two levers A in such a way thatas the levers are pulled or moved outward by their weight, they ex erta, tenslon on the two lengths of wire and keep them taut. It will beseen that as the lengths of wire D expand as the temperature rises, thelevers A under, the action of their weights 0 will tend to open out fromone another, whereas should the atmosphere be come cooler andcontraction take place, the

levers will tend to be drawn by the contract- I ing lengths of wiretoward one another.

Arranged between the levers is an adjustable link or block E adapted, asthe levers A open or close, to move into or out of the space between thelevers, in such a manner that the link or block E, in whatever positionit takes, makes contact with or almost makes contact with both levers,so that if a pull is exerted on one of the levers A, it first engagesthe link or block E and then the link or block engages the other lever Aand both levers, maintained in practically the same relations as whenthe pull began, are thus moved over under the influenceof the pull; Whenthe extra tension is released the signal wires return to normal positionin known manner, carrying with them the two levers still lockedtogether, till as the'\ actually arrive at normal position the leversand the links become free from one another again. i

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1,in which the levers are arrangedvertically, the link or block E is slung from the end of an arm Fpivoted upon the supporting frame X, said arm being raised or lowered,ac cording to the movements of the levers A, by a link G operated by themovement of one of the levers A. The sides of the levers A and of thelink or block E are so shaped that within reasonable limits, at everyposition of the levers A, the block E engages or almost engages both thelevers. The sides of the levers A may be toothed or serrated and theedges of the link or block E may be similarly toothed or serrated toinsure the better rip between the two levers and the adjusta leintermediate link or block.

The levers are preferably arranged more or less vertically as shown, butthey may be arranged horizontally, or at any other angle, in which casea spring S may be attached to the connecting link or block E, to draw itinward between the levers as they open out from one another, as shown inFig. 1. However, where the device is arranged vertically, orsubstantially so, and the weight of the link block E- is sufiicient, thespring can be dispensed with.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 the levers A which in this case mayconsist of straight rods or bars are mounted as before on pivots B andto the free extremities a ofone of the levers A is attached oneeof thesevered ends of'the signal wire D. To the same lever is freely pivoted alink E which is normally free to slide over or through a rest or guide H(see Fig. 3) arranged in or on the side of the other lever A. The othersevered end of the wire D is passed over a guide a at the extremity ofthe lever A through which the link E slides and is attached to the freeend of said link E. The upper side of the link E is provided with teeth6 and the guide H is provided with a stop J adapted to engage into theteeth 6 of the link E. Normally under the action of the weight 0 and thetension of the wire D the link E would tend to engage the stop J but asprlng plunger K is provided in the guide H, which is adapted tonormally hold the link E out of engagement with the stop. The pressureof the plunger K is greater than that which would normally tend toengage the link and the stop but less than that exerted when the signalis to be pulled ofl", so that in this case the pressure of the plunger Kis overcome and the link E is raised into engagement with the stop J andboth levers A are moved'over together while maintained in p the samerelative positions as the commencement of the pull. Otherwlse the link Eis free to slide in the rest or guide H as thelevers A open or closeaccording to variations of length of the wire D. The arrangementshown inFig. 4 is similar to that shown in Fig. 2 except that instead] of aspring plungerK to holdth'e' linkj'E"norma11y out of engagement, withthe stopJ a weight L is employedfor thls purpose.

A somewhat similar arrangementis shown in Fig. 5, A link Erpivoted tothe lever A is provided, as described with reference to Figs. 2 and 4,but the method of engaging the link is different. For this purpose theupper end a of the second lever A is mounted so as to be capable ofpivoting on the 'main portionof the lever but is normally held inline'therewith by a weight M which holds it against a suitable stop N.This weight M preferably takes the place of the weight C onthe lever Abut may be in addition thereto if desired. From a lug, O on the front ofthe pivoted part'a depends a' chisel-edged rod P adapted,'wh en the parta is bent forward, to engage into the teeth ofthe link E and prevent itsmovement in the guide 'In operation it will be seen that under .,normalconditions the levers A and A are .erted on the end cz 'it'will bendforward,

thechisel edge P will engage teeth e of the link E and the levers willbe moved over together while maintained in the same relative positions.

Any other means of adjustably connecting the lever, so that the leversare free to open orclose with regard to one another, but willmovetogether around their pivots when a pull is exerted in another directionon the wire, may be employed.

When the invention is applied to rods, instead of wires, it is notnecessary to weight the levers, as it is not required that they shouldexert a tensionon the rod.

The invention 'canalso be applied to any other purpose in which it isnecessary to take up or compensate for thecxpansion or the apparatuscanbe arranged at any position in the wire." Where it is arranged at oneor other end of the wire, one of the levers may undernormalfcircumstances remain practically stationary, all the expansion orcontraction being taken up by the other lever.

As shown in the drawings, the levers are shown withthe two ends offthewire or rod overlapping, butitisobvious'that a similar arrangement canbeemployed when the rela tions of the levers are reversed and the ends ofthe wire or the like do notoverlap. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig.6 which illustrates a construction somewhat similar to that shownin"Fig.' 1, the essential difierence being that, instead ofa link blockE arranged between the'levers A, a link E is employedwhich embraces thelevers A and 1s adapted to engagethem onjtheir outer sides when one ofthe levers is pulled. The link E is raised or lowered to maintain it 1nalmost engag ng position with the levers A at any position'thereof, inthe manneiras is shown in Fig. 1.

Having thus described the saidinvention and the'bestmeans I know ofcarrying the same into practical efiect, Ijclaimz 1. Apparatus forcompensating the expansion or contraction of connecting means arrangedbetween two relativelyfix d points, comprising two weighted pivotedlevers each attached by its rfree extremity to one of the severed endsof said connecting means and normally disconnected from' each other" andr latively movableindependently to main;

tain tension on the respective connecting means and means adjustableautomatically upon the movement of one of said levers to connect thelevers and thereby cause them to move in unison should suificient forcebe exerted upon said connecting means.

2. Apparatus for compensating the expansion or contraction of connectingmeans arranged between two relatively fixed points, comprising twopivoted levers each at their free extremity attached to or engaged byone of the severed ends of said connecting means, and a locking devicearranged between the levers and adjustable automatically with regardthereto according to the Copies of this patent may be obtained for tothe swing of one of the levers adapted to engage or almost engage boththe levers at, within limits, any position of the levers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER HARRISON BIDDLE.

' Witnesses:

Josnrrr Mmmnn, W. J. SKEBTEN.

five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

